Shoe sole



June 8, 1937. E. c. HILHECKER SHOE SOLE Filed March 14, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. @are /ezeaa/ l ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 8, 1937 PATENT oFFici-zv SHOE SOLE Eugene C. Heilhecker,Bristol, R. I., assignor to Maurice C. Smith, Jr., Bristol, R. I.

Application March 14,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a shoe and has for one'of its objects theprovision of a shoe sole of such form that it may be cemented to theupper of the shoe without pulling away from the upper of the shoe. A

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shoe sole whichwill so fit the foot and shoe upper that no tendency exists to pull thesole away from its upper when in cemented position.-

Another object of the invention is the provision of an elasticallyresilient vulcanized rubber solev which, when cemented to the upper,will have no inherent tendency due to movement of its parts tending tocause the sole to pull away from the upper that is cemented thereto.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a moulding device bywhich the shoe sole and a, fabric upper surface may be secured theretowith the fabric surface in a desired centered position with reference tothe shoe sole.

A further object of the invention is thevprovision of a device forsecurely holding a fabric to be attached to the upper surface of theoutsole securely in position to be vulcanized to the outsole. A stillfurther object of the invention is the' secure holding of the fabric inposition'in the mould with easy attachment and release of this fabricfrom such position. a With these and other objects in view, theinvention consists of certain novel features of construction, as Will bemore fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings: I

Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a cemented sole shoe which sole is formedin accordance with this i invention.

Fig. 2 is "a perspective view of the sole before being attached to theupper.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4is a sectional view' on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one part of the mould for the sole.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another part of the mould.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view through the mould with a sole in positiontherein, a sole also being shown in section.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the clamping rin for securing the .fabricin position.

Fig. 9 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of. this ring.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the mould substantially on lineII-II of Fig. '7.

una. 12 is a section on une iz-iz o: Fis. 9.

1933, 'serial No. 660.632

(ci. :3s-32) Fig. 13 is a fragmental sectional view of the i sole withthe fabric surface folded over after being removed from the mould,showing modified arrangement of the fabric in the further operationsafter coming from the mould.

In the formation of shoes in which the sole is sewed to the upper thereis a suicient bond of attachment due to the stitching to maintain thesole in a slightly curved position from which it may tend to straightenout due to its inherent resilience. In cementing the sole of a shoe, ifthe sole is caused to take such curvature, it continually tends tostraighten out and pull away from the cement bond, and in order thatthis may be avoided in a vulcanized rubber sole having a material amountof resiliency or pulling away qualities I have. moulded and vulcanizedthis rubber sole in a shape such that its upper surface substantiallyconforms to the shape and curvature of the bottom of the foot and alsoto the bottom of the lasted upper to which it is cemented, bywhich=arrangement there is no exing of the sole from its naturalposition of 4 curvature, and thus no tendency for the sole to pull awayfrom its upper when cemented. I have found in my moulding a shoe solewith a fabric upper surface that frequently the fabric is positioned atone side or the otherof the desired central position and to prevent thisI utilize a fabric of a size larger than that desired in the 'finishedshoe, and use this excess of material as a means for holding the same indesired position by clamping it with a telescoping member in the desiredposition in\ the mould, which clamp may be easily released aftervulcanization has taken place and the excess fabric removed or turned into form a part of the shoe as desired, and the following is a detaileddescription of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating thepreferred means and method by which the sole may be formed.

With reference to the drawings, I0 designates a shoe upper to which asole designated generally II is attached by'cementing, this sole II isshaped in a mould consisting of two parts, I2 and I3 by positioning acertain desired quantity of rubber or rubber composition in the recesssurface of the material, will become impregnated on one side with thematerial which is inA a plastic or semi-plastic state, if not previouslyimpregnated by frictioning, on one side only, and when such ma'ss isformed and the material squeezed into the shape desired I will thenvulcanize the rubber or plastic composition that it may maintain thisshape as its natural shape when coming from the mould.

The sole which I have'thus formed is of one integral piece of materialfrom which the fabric covering I8 cannot be readily detached. 'I'hisfabric covering may be frictioned on one side only, which frictionedside is secured by vulcanization to the sole, thus leaving the otherside of the fabric or fibrous covering layer free from rubber andproviding a surface which is more adaptable to receive the cement. I mayuse pyroxylin cement for securing the fibrous surface of the sole to alike fibrous surface on the bottom of an insole in a manner as disclosedin my Patent No. 1,901,782, of which I am one of the joint inventors. Insome cases either one or,`

both of these fibrous surfaces may be buied or roughed to better receivethe cement where desired. There is a heel I9, a shank portion 20, a ballportion 2| about all'of which there may or may not be provided afeathered edge 22 as desired with impressed indentations to indicatestitching. The fabric material I6 in instances where the feathered edge22 is provided will not extend out to the feather edge as this is theportion which protrudes beyond the upper of the shoe and is not cementedto the upper.

The upper surface of the soie formed in this manner is of a varyingcurvature and may be best described by stating that it conformssubstantially to the curvature of the bottom of the foot. The inner edge23 of the shank portion is higher than its corresponding opposite outeredge 24 which characteristic causes the sole to better support the archof the foot and is new in soles of this character. From this high point23 there is a gradual slope rearwardly as at 26 and a more abruptsloping forwardly as at 26, while the opposite outer edge of the shank,which is slightly higher than any point along this cor` responding edge,remains almost level with the edge 21 of the heel and gradually slopesdownward as at 28 although not on as steep a slant as along'the edge 26.f

By this manner of formation a sole is provided of varying thicknessesthroughout its extent'. The heel willbe relatively heavy and provideacushion as is'usual in rubber heels ofl this character. There willv bean abrupt line of demarcation as' of 30 adjacent the feathenand thispoint of demarcation provides a gradual -slant inwardly, therefrom overthe surface of which the fabric is secured.

In order that the fabric I3 may be' positioned atthe desired point onthe upper surface of the sole I provide a specially constructed mould.This mould will have a casing or frame portion 3 3 in the center ofwhich there is secured by bolt 42 the shaping portion 34 for the upper'surface having a surface 35 forl engagement with the.

fabric. Over this surface 35 the fabric I3 is positioned which is heldin place by a peripheral clamping member 36 telescoping over the sameand fitting closely about the periphery of the central portion 34 andholding the edges 3`| of the fabric between. this clamping member andthe shaping portion 34. This clamping member also closely fits withinthe casing 33 engaging the inner surface 38 thereof so as to firmly bindthe fabric in position and prevent it from laterally or longitudinallyshifting its position in the mould.4 The inner surface 45 of the clampis beveled to cooperate with the inner bevel surface 46 of the shapingportion so that as the clamp is moved toward setting position againstthe inner surface of the casing 33, the fabric will be tightly stretchedacross"the ,surface of the portion 34 and prevent any foldsvor"wri'nkles occurring therein.

The lower portion of the mould consists of a casing or frame 39 having ashaping insert 40 secured therein by a bolt or screw 4| similar tothe-bolt or screw 42 in the other portion of the die, which insert 40cooperates with the portions 34 and 36 of the upper half of the die thatthe material or sole may be formed in its desired shape. The two casingportions 33 and 39 are forced together and'any excess rubber which isplaced within the mould willlbe squeezed therefrom outwardly throughopenings or recesses 43 between the casing portions until finally thecooperating moulding portions will contact and compress the full contentof the mould into the desired position.

The sole, after acquiring the desired shape, is

.vulcanized and then taken lfrom the mould, the

, excess portion may be removed by cutting the fabric oiI as illustratedin Figures 1 and i or it may be turned over as illustrated at 44 in Fig.13, and vthe edges buffed. The sole so formed in either way is thencemented to the insole 3| of a shoe and the turned in edges 32 of theupper in any usual or convenient manner.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the constructionillustrated, .but I desire it to be understoodthat I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the deviceis susceptible, the invention being defined and hunted only by the termsof the appended claims.

I claim: l f

1. An unattached solid sole, mold-generated -both as to materialandform, having its upper edge materially higher on its inner side atthe shank portion than on its outer side, and a curvature of its bottomgenerally along its central longitudinal line such that .its contourstend materially upward from the ball region of the sole, the sole havingsubstantially uniform thickness along said line from a point adjacentthe shank forward to the toe region thereof.

2. A vulcanized solid unattached rubber sole having its upper edgematerially higher on the innerside at the shank than at the outer sideand having a curvature `generally along its central longitudinal linesuch that its contours tend materially upward from the ballregion of thesole, the sole having substantially uniform thickness along said linefrom a point adjacent the shank forward to the toe region thereof. e

3. Aniunattached solid sole, mold-generated both as to material andform, having one edge thereof higher than the correspondingoppositeedge, the sole having a material curvature along the generally centrallongitudinal line thereof from the ball region forwardly thereof andbeing of a substantially uniform thickness along said line fro'm a pointadjacent the shank forward to' the toe region thereof.

'than on the outer side 'thereof and 'which has a material curvaturealong its generally central 4. An unattached sole, mold-generated as tomaterial and form, having one edge ofthe shank both as to material andform, of uneven thickness transversely thereof throughout its extent andhaving itsupper edge substantially higher on the inside of theshank than-on the outer side thereof and having a longitudinal curvature generallyalong its central longitudinal line such that its contours tendmaterially upwardly from the ball region of the sole, the sole being ofsubstantially uniform thickness along said line from a point adjacentthe shank forward to the toe region thereof.

6. An unattached vulcanized rubber sole of uneven thickness transversely-thereof throughout its extent and having its upper edgesubstantially'higher at the inner side 'of the shank than at the outerside thereof, the sole having a substantial curvatureA along itsgenerally cenresponding opposite edge of the shank and provided with afeather edge extending beyondthe attaching area.

9. An unattached vulcanized solid rubber sole thickness transverselythereof throughout its extent and havingl its upper edge substantiallyhigher on the inner side of the shank than on the outer side thereof,the sole having a material longitudinal curvature along' its generallycentral line from the ball region of the sole forwardlythereof andhaving a feather edge extending beyond the attaching area of the sole.

10. A shoe having a sole whose upper edge is substantially higher on theinside of the shank line beginning at the ball region of the sole andextending forwardly thereof, said sole being substantially of uniformthickness along said line from a point adjacent the shank forward to thetoe region thereof, a fabric piece having a strong bond with said sole,an inner sole cemented to said fabric except around the edges thereof,and a shoe upper having its lower edgeconforming to the curvature ofsaid soleand cemented between the edges of said fabric and said innersole.

11. A shoe having a rubber molded sole whose- -of said fabric and saidinner sole.

12. An unattached vulcanized-solid rubber sole having a fabric piecesecured to its upper surface and adapted for use in attaching the sole'to an. upper, the sole having a materially higher upper edge issubstantially higher on the inside edge on the inner side of the shankthan on the f outer, andhaving a material curvature along its generallycentral line from the-ball 4region of the sole forwardly thereof, andbeing of vsub-v stantially uniform thickness along said line from 13. Ashoe having a solid sole, mold-generated L both as to material and form,whose upper edge is materially higher at the inner side of the shankthan at the outer side thereof and which has a material curvature fromthe ball area of the sole forwardly thereof, said sole being ofsubstantially uniform thickness along its generally central line from apoint adjacent the shank forward to the toe region thereof, a fabricpiece having a strong bond with said sole, an inner sole cemented tosaid fabric except around the edges thereof, and a shoe 'upper havingits lower edge conforming vto the curvature of said sole and cementedbetween the edges of said fabric

